Breezy Bakes Her Best by Lori Rotter is a cheerful rhyming story about a helpful little bear. It’s early morning, and Breezy’s parents are hard at work preparing for the opening of the Buttercup Bakery. She wants to do her share of work, but being rather small, Breezy keeps having mishaps. Soon the bakery is a mess of flour, eggs, sugar and salt, and her mother is wondering how to keep her out of trouble. Given the task of icing cakes for the window display, Breezy discovers that she has a flair for decorating with swirls, squiggles and sprinkles of pink and blue. Seeing how well she’s doing, Breezy's mother rushes to bake some more cakes. The colorful display in the window attracts a crowd, and when the bakery doors are opened, all the cakes are quickly sold out.

Breezy Bakes Her Best has a very likable heroine in the little bear. Kids will relate to Breezy’s problem of wanting to help but having things go wrong instead. They will love the mess in the bakery, as well as the fun illustrations by Vaughan Duck. I enjoyed the little touches, like the friendly chickens, the small ginger cat, and the frog and bunny customers. The exceptionally well-written verses that have rhythm as well as rhyme make this a great read-aloud book. It will inspire kids to discover their own hidden talents, and to this end, Lori Rotter has thoughtfully left one cake without icing on the last page, for kids to color in their own way. Highly recommended.

If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. That’s exactly what a bear cub does in Breezy Bakes Her Best by Lori Rotter. This rhyming story begins with a bear cub named Breezy wanting to help her parents in their business, Buttercup Bakery. She jumps right in, sure she can lend a hand. Breezy decides to scoop the flour, but ends up covered in it instead. So, she moves on to something else. Unfortunately, her next two attempts turn into messes, too. Breezy starts to feel disappointed. It seems that baking isn’t as easy as she thought it would be. Her Mama and Papa encourage her not to give up. And she becomes hopeful she'll still find the right way to help. Will Breezy discover where she truly shines?

Breezy Bakes Her Best by Lori Rotter is such a fun reminder that not everyone shines in the same way. I think it’s important that children see that Breezy's parents didn't scold her for the messes she made. Instead, they gently encouraged her to try something different until she found what she did well. The message is also reassuring for kids who struggle with new things. The playful rhymes make this an engaging read-aloud, as well as help build early literacy skills. I'd love to share this with my kindergarten students because it would lead to great conversations about perseverance, trying new things, and recognizing that everyone has different strengths. Students could even decorate paper cupcakes or draw themselves doing an activity they want to try. For home readers, there’s a coloring page at the end I’m sure little ones will enjoy. Vaughan Duck's bright, cheerful illustrations perfectly match Breezy's energy and make every page a treat to explore. Those looking for stories about creativity, determination, and believing in themselves will want to pick this one up. This book belongs in homes, classrooms, and libraries because it reminds children that sometimes success begins with simply trying something new.